


Two Weeks on Sakaar

by WindChimeGhost



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Humor, Loki (Marvel)-centric, Non-shipping, Sakaar, Thor: Ragnarok (2017), non-slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-08-20 22:42:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20235577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindChimeGhost/pseuds/WindChimeGhost
Summary: After being knocked from the Bifrost by Hela, Loki finds himself on a vile planet full of garbage…and strange locals including a cruel and maniac tyrant who calls himself The Grandmaster. All Loki wants to do is find Thor and get off this insane place. But will he live long enough to do so?(Takes place during Loki’s two-week stay on Sakaar during Thor: Ragnarok.)





	1. Welcome to the Trash Planet

**Author's Note:**

> ~ Comments are welcomed. But critique is not desired ~
> 
> This fanfic is my personal version of what happened those two weeks that Loki spent on Sakaar after being knocked from the Bifrost. I’m sure other fans have written their own account of what happened during that time. I haven’t seen any around, but I’m sure they exist somewhere. So I decided to write my take on it. I've been rolling the idea around in my head ever since I first saw Ragnarok. Finally took the plunge this year and started writing out a fic for it. =) So far, I'm pretty excited where this is headed. I'm really looking forward to working heavily on it once I get some other writing out of the way first.
> 
> This fic takes place within the Ragnarok movie and will be written as extra footage or deleted content that fits within the movie timeline/time frame. It begins when Loki lands on Sakaar and will end when he looks up and sees Thor seated in the chair.
> 
> Right now, I don’t plan on this fanfic having any hardcore or graphic content. However, I’m rating it T just to be on the safe side. It’ll give me a wider window to work within. But, as with my other fics, I guarantee the content will be all-age friendly. The most it’ll have will be mild action violence, like the Marvel movies.
> 
> Loki and all related characters © Marvel  
Fanfic and plot ©2019 by me 
> 
> (Please do not take, use, edit, or repost without permission. Linking my fanfics around the Internet or making copies/downloading them to Kindle/tablets for private use is perfectly okay. But copying and reposting or redistributing them without my permission is NOT okay.)

The landing was almost as painful as being knocked out of the Bifrost.

Almost.

Actually, it was worse.

Loki lay motionless in a pile of garbage for what seemed like hours, allowing his healing factor to kick in and mend the wounds that were still throbbing and pulsating all over his body. He might not be as strong as Thor, but at least he had a healing factor. Thank the Norns for that.

After the worst of the pain subsided, he pushed himself to a sitting position and took note of his surroundings. He winced and gasped. Looking down, he stared numbly at a shard of bloody glass sticking out of the palm of his hand. Gritting his teeth, he pulled it out and threw it to the side. He cradled his hand next to his chest as he pushed himself up on his feet.

He blinked, turning his head from left to right.

There were miles and miles of trash heaps, forever in the process of growing taller from garbage being dumped continuously into them from circular gateways in the sky, far above the surface. The heaps were literally made out of everything. There were pieces of rusting spaceships, building parts, canisters, rotting animal corpses, tubing, wiring, crates, and other things that were unidentifiable—all filtering in from every world and realm in the universe.

After looking on with fascination, Loki pulled his eyes away from the portal nearest him. He wrinkled his nose in utter disgust. The stench was awful, not to mention the whole planet felt filthy now that he saw what he was standing in the middle of.

“What kind of revolting place _is_ this? Where _am_ I?” he whispered. And more importantly, where were Thor and Hela? He suddenly remembered they had been in the middle of battling their newly discovered sister when they became separated. He remembered them traveling through the Bifrost, then getting knocked out of it by his own dagger. He looked down at the ripped place on his tunic.

Frantically, he glanced around. “Thor?” he called out. No answer. He looked around again, hoping to see his brother walking around one of the heaps. But he was nowhere to be seen. “Thor?” he called again, louder this time.

Fear surged through him. What if he was alone?—alone on some unknown dump planet, and he would never be found. He was doubtful anyone knew of the place and even more doubtful it had a name. It looked like the very end of the universe itself.

He jumped out of the way when a new load of trash rained down a few feet from him. Bottles and canisters and the wing of a ship rolled down the embankment noisily, filling up the hole he had been in.

He looked up at the swirling portal over him. Then his eyes moved to the next one and the next. He never saw such a place in his life. He pondered where all these portals could possibly lead to. What planets? What realms? What dimensions? Surely they weren’t all connected to Yggdrasil.

Loki’s vision cleared a bit more, and he could see, what looked like, buildings in the distant. A city?—in the middle of all this? At least, he assumed it was a city. It was hard to tell if the irregular skyline was made up of buildings or more heaps of trash. He figured it was the latter. Mainly because he couldn’t believe the planet was even habitable. There were no signs of animal or plant life. What did they use for food and water sources? How could they breathe?

Loki’s eyes darted around.

“Thor!” he called out one more time. “You oaf. If you’re here, answer me.”

And, again, the only answer that came back to him was more garbage raining from the sky.

Perhaps Thor landed in another area and was too far away to hear. For now, Loki was going to accept that was the case. He backed up, his foot becoming entangled in a rubber hose. He shook it off.

He had to get out of this place. It was just so foul. Of all the places he could have ended up, why here? Who would have thought there would be a trash planet where the missing socks of every corner of the universe ended up? It was a nightmare come true.

Loki bent over and picked up a toaster, examined it, and tossed it aside, wiping off his hands on his tunic.

“Maybe there’s someone in that city who can help me find Thor.” Loki took a step forward. “And lend us a ship so we can get off this disgusting place.” He walked a short distance, struggling to keep his balance as he carefully maneuvered his way through the garbage. It was next to impossible considering the heaps spilled over into the makeshift path someone already made. It seemed like an impossible task some poor soul was doomed to do for the rest of their life: shovel trash only to have the spot fill up again by an endless stream of it. Loki was grateful the job wasn’t his.

No sooner had he walked a few yards than the sound of a ship met his ears. He looked up. The ship in question flew over the heaps and hovered in place over him like a predator stalking its prey.

He swallowed and backed away, getting ready to run. He watched as it lowered to the ground and landed directly in front of him, its wings moving upward to make it look like some kind of towering dinosaur.

Loki knew he should run, but something about seeing the ship’s front open and its ramp unfurling outward kept him glued to the spot where he stood. His curiosity got the better of him. He had to see what unearthly creature would come out of it—what unearthly creature would live on a planet like this.

Confusion replaced the fear on Loki’s face as he watched a dark-skinned humanoid woman appear in the doorway. She was dressed in a skin-tight bodysuit, her hair pulled back. She was normal enough. She looked like other Midgardians, Asgardians, and many other similar races in the cosmos. There were no tentacles, bugged eyes, snaggle-teeth, or wrinkled skin as he had expected.

She staggered down the ramp like a drunken supermodel on a catwalk. In her hand, she carried a bottle, which she was in the process of taking a rather large swig of its contents. Judging from her walk, one could easily perceive she had already taken one swig too many. She leaned to the side, coming close to falling off completely. It reminded Loki of the way Thor used to look coming back to the bedrooms after an all-night celebration in the great hall—after having too much mead. Only she was a lot more attractive.

Loki sniffed the air and scrunched up his nose. She even smelt like Thor; although, it was hard distinguishing the smell of her alcohol from the stench of the planet itself.

“You’re lucky I arrived before the scrappers got here,” the woman said, coming to a stop at the base of the ramp. She finished up her drink and tossed the bottle aside. It shattered somewhere out in the overflowing landfill. On any other planet, the action would be considered littering. Here, it was probably considered an improvement. “Otherwise, you’d be nothing more than a shred of meat plucked from their teeth.”

“Who are you?” Loki asked. A dagger appeared in his hand, and he took a few steps back, away from the stranger.

The woman smiled, taking a second to acknowledge the weapon. “Someone you wish you’d never met.”

Loki’s brow furrowed, not understanding. He watched as she pulled out something and held it in her hand. It was small, round, blue, and shiny.

Instinctively, Loki raised his dagger, pointing it outward. “I don’t want to fight you, but I will if I must.”

The woman said nothing.

“All I want is passage into the city. I’m looking for my brother. We got separated when we landed here—wherever _here_ is,” Loki continued. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen him?—big, muscular, blond hair, stupid grin.”

“No, I haven’t. Muscular, you say? Thanks for the info. I’ll keep an eye out for him.” The woman weaved back and forth as she struggled to stand still. She stumbled backward and caught herself. She still held the round disk between her fingers. “As for the city, I’m more than willing to take you there. In fact, that’s where I plan to take you.”

Before Loki realized what was happening, she threw the thing she held and it whizzed through the air, landing on his neck.

Loki’s eyes widened. There was a sharp pain as little metal barbs dug deep into his skin.

“Ow!” he yelped. He raised his hands with the intention of pulling it off, but it wouldn’t budge. The barbs pulled his skin taut, causing even more pain. Finally, he let go, running a finger over the surface of the disk. What _was_ it? An immobilizer? An explosive device?

He turned fearful eyes to the woman, who now held a small, rectangular gold box in her hand.

“Wh-what…?” Before Loki could say anything else, the woman pressed a button on the box. It lit up with tiny blue dots. A jolt of electric fire surged through his body, making him tense and become ridged. He fell to the ground with a loud thump, his head barely missing a rusty ship’s engine.

No sooner had it happened than it stopped.

Loki gasped out, inhaling a large gulp of air. He sucked in as much air as possible, causing him to almost choke. He felt like he was about to swallow his own tongue. His vision cleared, and he could see dark gray clouds above him and a portal to his left.

What happened? It took him a while to fully realize that it was some kind of stun device. It was painful…very painful. He already knew he didn’t want to feel it again…ever. Despite himself, he uttered a whimper, turning confused eyes up at the woman.

“Awww, are you gonna cry?” the woman said mockingly as she smiled down at him. “That’s a sample of what you’ll get if I have any trouble from you.”

“What makes you think I’d give you trouble?” he rasped out hoarsely. He shook his hands to get the tingling out.

The woman smirked and lifted an eyebrow. “You look like a troublemaker. The cute ones always are.”

A hurtful expression washed over Loki’s face, then he smirked. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I’m surprised you’re still conscious,” she continued. “Usually, whoever I attach one of these to is knocked out almost immediately.” She gave Loki an impressed look. “You’re tougher than you look, I’ll give you that much.”

“Trust me, I’ve been through worse,” Loki choked out. He raised himself to a sitting position, afraid to make any sudden moves.

He glanced down at the dagger beside him.

Faster than Loki could blink, the woman ran up to him and was on top of him before he knew it, kicking the dagger out of reach. She grabbed Loki by his vest, pulling his face closer to hers.

“Don’t even think about it, pretty boy,” she slurred through her teeth. “Make one wrong move, and I’ll put one of these obedience disks on your bum. And believe me when I say you do not want one of these there.”

Loki swallowed hard at the threat, holding up his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t planning on making any moves,” he lied. “Please, take me where you will.”

The woman hesitated a few minutes as if her foggy brain was trying to decide if he was telling the truth. Finally, she got off and allowed him to stand. She pulled out a pair of handcuffs and began positioning them on Loki’s wrists.

“Since you’re obviously tougher than the shock of the obedience disks, you get these, just as a precaution,” she explained. “Can’t have you pulling out any more daggers.”

Loki watched in silence while she snapped the cuffs closed.

“Are you injured?” the woman asked, motioning to Loki’s bloody hand and the smeared blood on his tunic.

“A piece of glass stuck in my hand when I landed. It’s healed up now.” He flexed his fingers.

The woman studied him with great interest but said nothing.

“These scrappers you spoke of…” Loki changed the subject. “What are they, exactly?”

“Scavengers,” the woman replied, “the locals of this planet. They forage through the junk heaps and sell stuff they find to the Grandmaster. Some of them are known to eat what they don’t sell…if it’s available.”

Loki turned a nervous look to her, not sure if she was for real. But then again, it made sense that a race of people living on a garbage planet would be forced to scavenge for food. The remark she threw at him when she first landed made sense now.

“And who is this Grandmaster?”

The woman smiled knowingly. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She motioned toward her ship. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to get going before the scrappers find us. Not that I have a problem blowing them to pieces. I just prefer to avoid it if I can.”

Cautiously, Loki walked past her and up the ramp of the ship. He wanted to skip this part, but he did need to get to the city somehow. And this way was better than walking the long distance and risk running into these said scrappers. He really didn’t relish the thought of being someone’s next meal.

“You try any funny business, you get an obedience disk to the butt,” the woman reminded, walking in place behind him.

Loki shot her a glare over his shoulder. “I heard you the first time.”

“Just making sure.” She stifled another smile. “Although, maybe I should apply one there just in case.”

“Don’t you dare,” Loki said coldly.

“By the way, I’m Scrapper 142. Thought you’d like to know who your captor is.”

Loki’s eyebrows rose. “Y-you’re a scrapper, too?”

“Relax. It’s just a name. I’m more like a bounty hunter here. Unlike the scrappers that live in the trash heaps, I prefer the comforts of a normal life.”

“Ar-are you going to eat me?” Loki almost let out another whimper.

“No. Lucky for you, cannibalism isn’t my thing.” She shoved Loki into her ship and forced him to sit in one of the seats. She took her place in the pilot’s seat. She picked up another bottle wedged between the seats and popped off the cap, chugging down a long swig. “Besides, I have plenty of good food back at my quarters. I don’t need to forage.”

She offered the bottle to Loki.

He shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

“Suit yourself.”

“If you’re a bounty hunter, then that means…” Loki turned his eyes to her, his brow furrowing. “You’re going to sell me?”

Scrapper 142 put down her bottle and grabbed for the ship’s controls. “You got it.”

“Bu-but I’m a king!”

Scrapper tilted her head to the side. “Really, now? You should be worth a bit more, then. I sort of gathered you were royalty of some sort from the fancy bathrobe you’re wearing. It’s not every day that someone of your status ends up on this place.” She looked him up and down. It was obvious by the look on her face that she was holding back an amused chuckle. “Although knowing the trip you went through to get here, I do have to wonder what’s holding that clip in place.”

Loki glanced down at his clothing, then turned a mischievous smile to the woman. “Care to find out?”

“Cheeky little scamp, aren’t you? No thanks. It’s bad for business.” She flashed him a smile. “So, where are you the king of?”

Loki opened his mouth to say but thought better of it. He knew next to nothing about this woman and this planet. Could he trust her? Or would she signal the alarm for some army to go storm Asgard? Not exactly something they needed right now with their demonic sister on the rampage.

“Did you forget? Fine, don’t tell me, then.”

“I must have hit my head harder than I thought.”

“It happens.”

The ship lifted into the air and started for the city.

“I’m Loki.”

Scrapper shrugged. “King Locky of somewhere he can’t remember.”

“Loki,” he corrected.

“Whatever. All I care about is the money I’ll get when I hand you over.” She took another swig from her bottle.

Loki arched an eyebrow. “So you can buy more booze?”

“You know of a better way to spend it?”


	2. Meeting the Grandmaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **To my readers:** First, I apologize for disappearing for so long. Second, I want to thank each and every one of you who have posted comments of concern, asking if I’m doing okay, both before and after the virus outbreak. I really, really appreciate it. *hugs* Love y’all. There are literally times when it feels like no one cares about authors of fanfiction. So it really made my week to get so much love in comments.
> 
> Life has been insane on my end lately, so it’s been hard for me to focus on writing these days. Back in October and November, I was feeling a high amount of stress (that stemmed from several different things) to the point of almost being sick. By the time I got into November, I was clearly feeling the edges of stress burnout. But I got a lot of much needed rest through December. And I feel a lot better now. I feel like myself again. During it all, I just felt a need to take a long hiatus from some places online until I was able to pull myself back together. (Not to mention, I was still trying to sort out computer issues and get used to my new Macbook, too.) Then this year started out rough for me and my family in so many ways. Then the virus mess hit on top of everything else. So I’ve been struggling to hang in there. Been struggling to keep myself pulled together.
> 
> Letting my readers know that I’m still here and that I’m doing okay. I’m slowly trying to get back into my writing. It’s been hard since so many other things have been distracting me and draining me mentally. But I felt like I needed to finally force myself to update some of my fanfics, especially since the demand for reading material is high right now due to our current situation. (Please bear with me as I get my writing sorted out and slowly get back into it all.) I hope everyone out there stays safe and healthy.
> 
> ~ ~ ~

When they landed again, it was inside the city. More specifically, it was inside a hangar in a tall building located in the center of the city.

Loki managed to steal a look at it before Scrapper 142’s ship landed. It towered irregularly over the rest of the buildings and looked more like some kind of ginormous totem pole rather than an actual building. It was clear that the exterior was built out of scrap parts—most likely sold to this Grandmaster person by the scrappers. Part of it was decorated with giant heads, most of them he didn’t recognize. The one he _did_ recognize was Ares—God of War, jealous type, regular pain in the backside. Loki still remembered the time when he and Thor were kids; Ares destroyed the treehouse they spent five weeks building. Ever since then, Thor and Ares became sworn enemies until Ares suddenly vanished one day. So this explained where that bully disappeared to. But why was his head immortalized on the outside of a tacky building on an out-of-the-way planet?

Loki’s thoughts were interrupted when Scrapper grabbed him by the arm. He was so lost in thought that he hadn’t noticed they landed.

“Hey!” he shouted indignantly.

“We’re here,” Scrapper announced. She shoved him roughly down the ship ramp, urging him forward when he stopped. He stumbled and almost tripped over his own feet. Irritably, he turned to face his captor.

“What gives you the right to handle me this way?” he snapped. “I told you I’m a king! I—” Loki’s mouth hung open as the words died on his tongue.

Scrapper held up her little gold controller and showed it to him, right before pressing the button. She gave Loki just enough jolt to remind him what she was capable of—and that she didn’t give one flip if he was a king or not.

“ACK!” Loki’s cuffed hands flew to the disk on his neck. He grimaced and buckled under the pain.

“You were saying, your highness?” She smiled smugly.

Loki scowled. “Never mind.” He glared hatefully at the control in her hand.

“I thought so. You might be a king where you come from, but here, you’re nothing but my prisoner, and whatever the Grandmaster decides to do with you. So, you’d better behave yourself, King Lucky. I wouldn’t want to be forced into putting an obedience disk on that royal butt of yours.”

“It’s Loki!” he snarled through his teeth. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.” Scrapper turned a smile to him. “Okay, yes, I am.”

“All I wanted was a ride into the city.”

“Which you got,” Scrapper pointed out.

Loki glanced at the other ships parked around them, barely taking notice. “Does this look like the city to you?”

“You’re inside the city. I didn’t say you would be free to go where you please.”

“I didn’t ask to be treated like a prisoner!” He wrenched his arm free of Scrapper’s hold, but she made quick work to secure it again. She gave him another quick jolt with the obedience disk.

Loki winced and hissed, his breath catching in his throat. “And stop doing that! It hurts!” he spat.

“I will when you stop being a jerk.”

Loki’s mouth dropped open, and he snapped it closed again, his jaws working. “Now see here, you wretched wench! It’s bad enough that you attached that infernal device to me, but to stand there and call me a jerk to my face when you started all this mess; I won’t put up with this treatment!” He squirmed, trying again to break free of the woman’s hold. “I did nothing to you! I don’t even know you!”

Without saying a word, Scrapper held up her control.

Loki jerked his head back and contorted his face like he was anticipating a slap across the face. “NO! Don’t you dare do that again!” He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to feel a shock. When nothing came, he cracked open an eye.

The woman pressed a button and the disk on Loki’s neck loosened. She pulled it off.

“It’s about time,” he huffed and relaxed, rubbing the area of his neck where the disk made imprints.

Not missing a beat, Scrapper slapped the disk on his backside.

Loki’s eyes widened and he jerked forward. “Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?!” He stepped aside, out of her reach. “I don’t like people touching me back there.”

It was too late. The disk had already clamped itself onto Loki’s pants.

Scrapper smiled at him.

“You didn’t,” he breathed out, his cheeks flushing the slightest hint of red.

Scrapper’s smile turned into a devilishly grin. “By all means, your majesty, please continue to misbehave and give me sass. I look forward to the next time I zap you.” She dangled the control teasingly. “The last one to warrant this special brand of discipline from me couldn’t sit down for a very long time. So, if I were you, I would choose my words very carefully before they leave my mouth.”

Loki’s eyes followed the waggling control in her hand before turning them back to her. He attempted to reach behind him, but the cuffs on his wrists prevented him from doing so. Instead, he shifted on his feet and turned a terrified look to Scrapper, silently accepting that he was fully at her mercy now. Any attempts to backtalk or escape from here on out would end badly for him, not to mention embarrassing. He didn’t like that unspeakable pain in an unmentionable area of his body was just a click away.

Finally, he heaved a sigh and slowly closed his eyes. He gave in, allowing her to take him by the arm and lead him forward.

“Good boy.”

Loki shot her another scowl. “What did I do to make you put it there?”

“Calling me a wench was a good start.”

Loki had been through worse under Thanos, but it didn’t change the fact that his current situation was humiliating. He hated not being in control, and he hated, even more, being the captive. It now made him wonder what this Grandmaster was going to be like. Was he another Thanos? Someone who would lock him away and torture him, leaving him no choice but to bend to his will to stay alive?

Loki’s heart sank. He thought he was finally over this. But now, it was clear he was destined to bend to the will of everyone around him.

Scrapper led him through the metal walkways of the hangar and stopped at a huge door on the opposite side long enough to punch in a code on the keypad there, taking note to do so out of Loki’s view. The door slid open, revealing a large hallway on the other side.

For a building that appeared to be made of mostly scrap parts, it felt clean and modern, Loki noted. The décor was horrific and lacking, but it felt comfortable. Much better than the outside.

Several guards passed them as they started down the hallway. Scrapper must be popular around here for the guards not to pay her much notice, Loki thought. They simply nodded their heads in her direction and continued walking, taking a second to size up Loki.

They walked a short distance before Scrapper stopped at another door—an elevator door. Here she pushed Loki inside and pressed a button that started them ascending upward.

“Normally, my captives are out cold when I bring them here,” Scrapper explained, breaking the long silence that had fallen between them.

Loki was hesitant to say anything, fearing she might press the button that would send a jolt of electricity pulsing through his posterior. Finally, he mumbled, “I think you’ve already made that quite clear.”

“I don’t know how the Grandmaster will react to me bringing you in walking,” Scrapper continued as if Loki hadn’t said anything.

Loki arched an eyebrow and glanced at her. He wasn’t sure how to reply to that or if he should. So he opted for tilting his head to the side and staring forward.

Both rode in silence for the rest of the way until the elevator came to a stop a few floors up. The doors opened, and Scrapper urged Loki forward down a long passage that eventually turned off into a spacious, high-ceiling throne room. There was floor to ceiling windows looking out over the rest of the city. The interior was primarily white with wild colored lights that made sections appear purple, blue, red, and green.

It was then that Loki realized it was more than just a throne room. It was like a throne room and lounge slash casino slash mosh pit rolled into one. He got the feeling any type of pleasure and frivolity was welcomed here, no matter how questionable. Groups of odd-looking humanoid people filled the room—a mixture of races from different planets and realms. Some of them Loki recognized, some he didn’t. All of them were dressed in gaudy clothing, looking more like costumes than actual everyday clothes. He wasn’t sure if it was the customary clothing of each person’s planet or if it’s what they wore on _this_ planet. Either way, they all mingled with each other and lounged across couches, talking and chattering while waiters and waitresses served refreshments. Some of them punched buttons on strange-looking machines and danced and gyrated to weird synthesizer music that blared from somewhere over the crowds.

Even though a part of him found this new setting curious and amusing, Loki didn’t care who these people were. He didn’t care about their clothes or the party they were having. All he had in mind was scanning the crowds for any sign of Thor, but he wasn’t there. He wouldn’t admit it openly, but he felt a little part of himself die inside. He wanted his brother. He wanted to get out of this place.

“Looking for something?” Scrapper asked.

“My brother. Or have you forgotten?”

“Get moving,” she prodded, pushing on his back.

At the farthest end of the room was a raised platform with a large, wide window behind it. In the center of the platform was a teal and white chair on which sat an elderly man dressed in equally gaudy clothes and sandals. At least, he looked like an elderly man as far as his appearance went. Loki knew he was probably some kind of alien, though. One thing was for sure, he looked as chaotic as the surrounding atmosphere. Beside him, on his right, stood a muscular, heavyset woman in armor holding a strange-looking scepter in her hands. Like so many other people on this planet, Scrapper included, all of them had odd designs painted on their faces.

Loki obediently walked up to stand at the base of the stairs leading to the throne’s dais, more out of habit than anything. After all, it wasn’t the first time he’d been presented before a throne (and it probably wouldn’t be his last).

The man in the chair leaned forward eagerly, fixing Loki with a hungry stare like a child eyeing a new toy. Loki immediately felt uncomfortable, but he suppressed it.

“Ah! What’s this? What have you brought me this time?” the man asked cheerily. The tone of his voice took Loki by surprise. It was certainly different from what he had expected.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Scrapper answered. She glanced at Loki. “I want to say a contender, but you tell me.”

“Excellent! I’m in need of contenders, seeing as how my prized fighter…uh…wiped out the others last week.” He cleared his throat then smiled proudly. “Wonderful fight, I must say. Very proud of him.”

Contender? Prized fighter? Fight?? What was he talking about?

Loki eyed the man warily as he got out of his chair and walked toward him, stopping at the edge of the dais.

Scrapper pushed Loki closer to the steps.

“Let’s see. What have we here?” He looked Loki over once, sizing him up. Then he turned a disappointed look to Scrapper. “It-it’s not unconscious. Why isn’t it unconscious? They’re usually unconscious when you bring them here. It’s more fun that way. And, you know, I put them through my…ah…little introductory video thing and they wake up just in time to find themselves in the middle of it.” He waved his hand around like he was shooing away a fly.

“I can’t explain it,” Scrapper said. “I used the obedience disk on him several times, but he’s able to withstand it.”

Loki smiled.

“Never mind.” The man waved her off. “He’s a pretty one, I must say.” The Grandmaster admired, then he turned to address Scrapper. “It _is_ a he, right?”

Scrapper nodded.

“Ah-hah.” The Grandmaster’s smile turned into a grin, returning his gaze to Loki.

Loki rolled his eyes. _Not too bright_, he thought. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

“Although, he’s not as big as the last one. He doesn’t look—uh, what’s the word for it?” He snapped his fingers a couple of times and turned to the woman beside him.

“Smart,” she replied without hesitation.

The Grandmaster threw her a look that was halfway between annoyance and concern. “No, that’s not the word I was looking for. What? Do you think he doesn’t look smart?”

Loki scowled, irritated over where this conversation was going. And was the Grandmaster seriously this…dippy? Every moment he stood there, it was looking more and more promising that he could easily work his way out of…whatever this mess was.

“Anyway, the word I’m looking for starts with an M. Minuscule…muscatel…muscular! That’s what I’m looking for. Muscular! He doesn’t look muscular enough for the arena.” Disgust washed over the Grandmaster’s face. “So puny. He doesn’t look bulky enough to knock over one of my guards let alone my prized fighter, which is okay with me, of course. But you know how I value fair fighting.”

Loki’s eyebrows rose. Why did everyone insist on calling him puny? He would have been mad at the insulting remark, but after hearing the Grandmaster mention ‘arena’, he was secretly glad he was considered puny. What sort of place was this? And what was this arena and contenders the Grandmaster constantly talked about?

“Wait… Arena? Contenders? Prized fighter?” Loki uttered a nervous laugh. “You must be joking. I don’t know what all of this is about. I’m sure it’s some big misunderstanding we’ll all laugh about later. But in case it isn’t, it’s like you said, I’m much too puny for an arena. I wouldn’t last two minutes, let alone ten seconds.”

“He can talk!” the Grandmaster blurted out. “I was beginning to think he was mute.”

“Listen, your…majesty,” Loki continued carefully, licking his lips and smiling.

“Grandmaster. Just call me Grandmaster.” The man winked. “I’m the Grandmaster. And welcome to my little…”—he waved his hands around, a sheepish smile parting his lips—“gathering, party, shindig—whatever you wish to call it.”

Loki wasn’t sure what to think, but he knew he had to get out of this somehow. “Grandmaster, then. I don’t mean to cause trouble. I landed on your planet by mistake.”

“Sakaar,” the Grandmaster said. “You landed on Sakaar. It’s not much, but it’s home. And as for the arena. I run a little gig here called Contest of Champions. If you went through my introductory video, it would have told you all about it. But it just so happens I’m looking for new contenders. So, lucky you.”

“No, wait…”

“You don’t want him,” the woman standing beside the Grandmaster said with a sneer. “He is no good.”

Loki smiled at her. “Yes! She’s right. You don’t want me.”

“We don’t know that yet, Topaz,” the Grandmaster said, annoyance in his voice. He turned back to Loki. “Can you fight?”

“No!” Loki quickly shouted out. “No, she’s right. I’m no good. I can’t fight. I wouldn’t last anytime out there. You’ve got the wrong person.”

“You came at me with a dagger,” Scrapper reminded.

Loki turned to her, his mouth hanging open. “It was defense! I always carry daggers on me in case I run across someone who wants to take my life, and my bodyguards aren’t around to help protect me.” He turned back to the Grandmaster, throwing him a smile. It was all he could do to keep the smile from betraying his nervousness. “But I can’t do much more than that. I’m a king, you see. I’m royalty where I come from. It would be beneath me to fight in an arena. I usually watch others perform this sort of sport from my throne.”

He was telling a partial truth, anyway, he thought. It was true that he was no fighter. He didn’t have the build for it, let alone the strength. Of the two of them, Thor was always better at that—besting Asgard’s toughest warriors in the arena back on Asgard. Whether it was training or a special contest event, Thor was always the one to come out on top.

“A king!” The Grandmaster’s face lit up. He clapped his hands together. “You didn’t tell me he’s a king. Wow! Just…wow! This changes everything. I’ve never had a king to land here before.” He turned to Topaz. “Did, did you hear that? He’s a king! Royal blood right here in front of us. Imagine that.”

“King Locky,” said Scrapper.

“It’s Loki,” Loki corrected. “King Loki.”

“And he can’t remember where he’s from.”

“Selective amnesia,” Loki explained, throwing a pitiful look to the Grandmaster. “I’ve always been susceptible to it ever since my childhood. It’s an awful thing to have to live with.”

“Aw, that’s sad. And how did you…uh…end up here? Do you remember?”

Loki pursed his lips, his mind working overtime to come up with a believable story. Judging from the Grandmaster’s mentality level, he figured he wouldn’t have to try too hard. The man seemed like the type who would believe anything told to him, whether true or not.

“It’s quite an interesting story.” Loki held up his cuffed hands, splaying them. He hoped the lie he was thinking of would convince everyone enough. “You see, my evil brother…Balder…” What could he say? It was the only name that he could come up with at the moment.

“If he’s evil, then why were you looking for him?” Scrapper interrupted.

“Not the same brother,” said Loki. “I have several.”

“Enough talk!” Topaz suddenly said, turning her gaze to the Grandmaster. “Are you buying or not?”

The Grandmaster sat down and leaned back in his chair. “No, let him talk. I want to hear this. It’s just getting interesting.” He motioned for Loki to continue.

“My evil brother, Balder—he’s the jealous type who wants the throne. We were having a celebratory feast in honor of my wife’s—the queen’s—birthday. And…he drugged me—slipped it in my drink—and dragged my body into the woods and left me there. Then the Bilgesnipes came and tried to eat me.”

“Wait.” The Grandmaster held up a hand. “What, what are Bilgesnipes?”

“Big, hairy, scaly creatures with large antlers; native to my homeworld.”

Scrapper eyed Loki with great interest but said nothing.

“Ah! Fascinating. Do continue.”

“Annnnd…I ran. I ran for my life, and the Bilgesnipes chased me. I tripped and fell into a massive hole, where I somehow ended up here. Don’t know how it works, but that’s what happened.”

“You can remember all that, but you can’t remember where you came from?” Scrapper asked skeptically.

“Selective amnesia,” Loki insisted. “It has a habit of taking some things and leaving others. Very annoying.”

“Wow, that’s, that’s exciting! I mean, sorry to hear about your brother attempting to murder you and all. That’s got to be annoying. But—wow!—it’s exciting. You know, I like this guy. He might not be fit to be a contender, but I like him. He’s got spunk! And he’s an excellent storyteller on top of it.” The Grandmaster turned to Scrapper. “I’d like to keep him around. How much are you asking for him?”  
  
“Twelve million Units.”

“Too much,” said Topaz in her deadpan voice.

The Grandmaster rolled his eyes at her. “Transfer the Units, Topaz.”

“Better yet, make it twenty,” Scrapper said.

“Twenty?”

“He’s a king.” She shrugged. “I figure he’s worth a little more.”

Topaz shook her head.

“Oh, for the love of…” The Grandmaster sighed. “Give it to her before she changes her mind and raises it again.”

Topaz hesitated, then she punched a few buttons on her vambrace. “Done.”

Smiling, Scrapper turned to leave.

“Hey, wait!” The Grandmaster called after her. “I don’t see an obedience disk on him.”

“Oh, he’s got one.” Scrapper’s smile widened knowingly.

Loki’s eyes fell to the floor and he shifted his feet, looking everywhere but at Scrapper. He hoped she wouldn’t say where it was.

The Grandmaster took note of his actions, a puzzled look on his face.

Scrapper held up her control and pushed the button.

“OUCH!” Loki screamed out loud when the shock surged through his rear. His scream caused the others in the room to momentarily stop what they were doing and look in his direction. He bolted forward, stumbling up the steps in front of him and almost landing flat on his face. He had no choice but to drop to his knees. He gritted his teeth and hissed out a huge breath when the shock ceased. Wincing, he moved and turned a pained expression to Scrapper…and the horrid little control of hers.

“That was for calling me a wench,” she said matter-of-factly. The smile on her face told him she had been itching to do that the whole time. She turned to the Grandmaster. “It’s located on his butt. Have fun.”

A sly grin creased the old man’s lips. “I like your style,” he said simply.

“He’s a troublemaker. Troublemakers get special treatment from me.” With that, Scrapper turned and made her way to the door.

“Aren’t you going to remove it?” Loki yelled after her before she disappeared through the doorway.

“That’s up to the Grandmaster,” she called back, not even bothering to look around.

Loki turned an uncertain look up at the Grandmaster, not exactly sure what to expect next.

“Listen, I’d like to get back to my world. If you could just let me borrow a ship, I will be more than happy to get out of your way.”

“Mmmmmm…no.” The Grandmaster smiled, steepling his fingers. “I paid for you, you belong to me now. You aren’t going anywhere.”

Loki’s eyes widened. “You mean I’m a…slave?”

The Grandmaster cringed. “Don’t use that word. Prisoners with jobs are all we have around here.”

“But…but…”

“Ah-ah,” said the Grandmaster, holding up a hand. “Anyone who ends up here belongs to me, and, under normal circumstances, they become a contender in my arena. It’s part of the package deal. That’s the rule. However, seeing as how you’re unfit for that, I’m not sure what to do with you.”

“I can offer some ideas,” said Topaz.

“I’ll listen to them later,” the Grandmaster said without looking at her. “So, until I decide…uh…you’re free to stay here. My guards will escort you to the quarters you’ll be staying in.” He motioned for the guards to take Loki away.

“But, I have to get home to my wife!” Loki screamed out the lie as he was dragged away.

“Let me know when you remember where you live, and I’ll send for her to come here!” The Grandmaster shouted back. “I’d love to meet her!”


	3. The Game

The guards brought a disgruntled Loki to an apartment several floors below the throne room.

Loki’s mind still worked furiously, trying to figure out where he’d gone wrong. Apparently, he wasn’t convincing enough to change the Grandmaster’s mind. Now, he was a bought and paid for slave. Wasn’t he the king of Asgard just a few hours ago? Days ago? Weeks? He wasn’t sure how long it’d been now since falling off the Bifrost into this strange and fearful new world.

The door to his newly assigned quarters slid open. After taking off his cuffs, the guards pushed him inside.

“And what if I try to leave?” Loki asked.

“Go ahead and try,” one of them answered with a hearty laugh. Both disappeared into the hallway outside, and the door slid shut, leaving Loki alone. What did they mean by that?

He sighed and took in his new surroundings. The main room he currently stood in was large and spacious. A sofa and coffee table sat directly in front of him. A bedroom and adjoining bath were on his left. On the right was a walk-in kitchenette, a long counter with bar stools separating it from the sitting room. A huge window that overlooked the city below and the trash heaps surrounding it provided all the light the room needed during the day.

The walls were painted a crazy, chaotic zigzagged pattern of dark blue and white—the same pattern that seemed to be common décor in the Grandmaster’s house. The place had a cold feel to it, but Loki wasn’t about to complain. He was just glad the Grandmaster saw fit to put him in an apartment and not in a prison cell, which he feared would happen at first.

For everything being located on a trash planet, Loki had to admit the place felt comfortable. He was glad it was clean, too. Definitely glad of that! At least he didn’t feel like he was living in a germ-infested rat’s nest. It wasn’t the palace in Asgard by any means, but he could learn to get used to it.

He walked to the sink and washed his hands, scrubbing off the dried blood. He wanted to take a bath and wash off the filth of the planet, but he decided against doing it for the time being. He figured he’d wait and see if anything else transpired before the day came to a close.

After his task was finished, he walked to the window and peered out over the trash heaps. By now, the sun was setting, making the buildings and mounds look like weirdly shaped mountains.

He, again, wondered where Thor was. If he was out there somewhere, was he still alive? Or had the scrappers found him and dragged him away for their next meal? Was it even possible for them to drag Thor away to use as food? And how was he ever going to find his brother?

“If he’s alive, Scrapper will probably bring him to the Grandmaster,” Loki said aloud to himself. “After all, he would be an ideal contender for the Grandmaster’s battles. And she seemed interested when I mentioned him.”

Loki continued to stand, wondering what to do next. He didn’t like the current situation one bit. Even though his accommodations were ten times nicer than the ones Thanos provided, he was still a slave to the Grandmaster. And a slave meant…what exactly…on this planet? It was clear he wasn’t going to be a contender in the arena. That much he was grateful for. At least he would live. But…what did the Grandmaster have in mind for him?

Most importantly: How was he going to get out of this mess?

An involuntary shudder shook Loki’s body. He had to find some way of getting off the planet. For now, he would play along until he could figure out his next move. He needed some time to get a closer look at everything. He needed to find his way back to the ship hangar. He needed to find out the passcode. He needed to find out more about the Grandmaster himself.

Finally, he stepped away from the window. He walked to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets and the refrigerator until he found what he assumed was food. It was oddly shaped and yellow…and it tasted awful. He gagged, spitting out a piece. It would have to do, though. He was starving. Biting off another piece, he forced himself to chew and swallow. He walked to the provided bed and sat down, keeping his eyes on the door while he finished off the weird, disgusting food.

“Odin’s beard, this stuff is awful,” he choked out. He gagged again and got up for a drink of water. Deciding against eating anything else the kitchen provided, he pulled out a bunch of grapes from one of his magical pockets to eat instead.

He stood at the sink and listened as he silently munched on the fruit. Not a sound could be heard outside. Was he the only one staying on this floor? Where were the guards?

Loki finished off his grapes and walked to the door, listening carefully. The central air came on and made him jump. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized what it was. He pressed a button on the control panel next to the door, and the door slid open. Straight ahead, Loki could see the guards stationed down the hall. Odd, he thought. The guards on Asgard normally stood right outside the door. Did they really trust him to stay in the room? Or was he allowed to venture out of it?

He took a step forward…and crashed face-first into a force field. At the same time, a pulsating fire hit his rear, knocking him back and flat on his back.

“Yiii!!” Loki yelped. He grabbed his face with one hand and his butt with the other and pushed himself away from the door, rolling to the center of the room. He hissed and rubbed both areas vigorously.

What was worse is he could hear the guards laughing at him.

So that’s the way it was going to be, huh? He was given nice quarters, but he was still a prisoner.

He lay there a few minutes, rolling over on his back to stare up at the ceiling until he was able to get his bearings again. His face was fine, but his rear burned like the dickens. He scrunched up his face and gasped as he continued to rub out the pain the disk had inflicted. He ran his finger over the horrid device attached to him.

“Owwwww…” he whined tearfully, drawing his knees up to his chest.

When the pain finally died away, he picked himself up and crawled into bed, where he made himself as comfortable as possible considering the circumstances. He was glad he was still wearing his lounge clothes, but he preferred nightclothes. And he could easily change into them…

He decided against it. He preferred staying in his regular clothes for now in case he had to make a run for it. After all, this wasn’t a vacation resort. He was a prisoner. And if the opportunity to escape came up, he would take it.

He took off his vest and laid it to the side. Then he took off his tunic. He left his trousers on. He was tempted to change out of them. He didn’t dare, though. Not until he knew more about what he was up against.

Finally, he lay back, listening for any sounds. The place was still unnaturally silent except for the occasional short conversations the guards held just outside.

Loki was too worked up to sleep, so he lay there—thinking, plotting, studying—until he finally drifted off during the early morning hours.

The next thing Loki knew was that he was being rudely awakened by one of the guards shaking him by the shoulder.

“Wake up!” the guard said. “The Grandmaster wishes to speak with you.”

“Can’t he wait until I fully wake up?” Loki mumbled grumpily.

“Stop being funny and get up!” the guard snarled. “Lest I give you a shock.”

At hearing this, Loki immediately sat up. “I’m awake.”

“You may wash and dress, but be quick about it. The Grandmaster awaits your arrival.” The guard gave him one last dirty look and left the room. Loki could hear the apartment’s door slide open and closed.

He sighed, brushing away a lock of hair from his face. What could the Grandmaster possibly want with him this early? What was in store?

He looked toward the bedroom’s doorway. From where he sat, he could see that the sun was already shining brightly. Maybe it wasn’t all that early after all. What time was it? Or did they even have a measurement of time on this planet?

Quickly, he got to his feet. He grabbed up his tunic and vest and walked to the bathroom, where he relieved himself and washed the sleep from his eyes and brushed his hair with a brush from his magical stash. He still wanted an actual bath, but heaven help him if he kept ‘his majesty’ waiting a moment longer. He’d rather not feel the burning pain from the shock device again. Even though he had a healing factor, he still felt tender in that area.

When Loki was ready, the guards escorted him to the throne room.

“You wanted to see me?” Loki walked up to the stairs of the dais.

“Ah! You finally made it,” said the Grandmaster.

“Did I have a choice?” Loki asked sarcastically.

A smile spread across the Grandmaster’s lips. He pointed a finger at Loki. “I do like you. That’s why I’ve called you here. I thought long and hard what to do with you last night while I was in bed. Annnd at first, I thought…uh…I might sell you to my brother. I think he’d enjoy having a pretty boy like you in his collection. But then I thought why should I do that, you know? My brother’s an idiot—wasting his time foolishly collecting worthless junk and people. After all, I bought you. I spent a lot of Units on you. I should find some use for you around here.”

“Please don’t make me fight in the arena,” Loki pleaded. “I told you already that I’m not a fighter.”

“Who, who said anything about the arena? No, no, I’m not going to use you as a contender.” The Grandmaster winked. “I have something else planned for you. Yes! It’s gonna be really fun. But we’ll get into that later.” The Grandmaster sniffed and repositioned himself in his chair.

Loki gave the man a wary look. “I’d like to have a ship so I can get out of here and go home. I’m willing to pay you whatever price you want—double what you paid for me.” Loki knew that last part was a lie. He had a few funds tucked away for emergencies, but it wasn’t enough to buy a ship. But he was desperate. He could use his savings as a down payment and owe the Grandmaster the rest once he found a way to get that much money—maybe from Asgard’s vault. Worth a shot, anyway.

The Grandmaster leaned back. He put a hand alongside his face and thought for roughly two minutes.

Loki stood in place and waited for an answer, hoping he wasn’t pushing himself too far.

When the Grandmaster spoke again, he said, “Tell you what. If you play a game with me, I’ll give you a chance to win your freedom. How’s that sound? You win, you get your freedom. You can either stay here or go wherever you wish to go.”

Well, that didn’t sound too bad. It was better than he expected.

“What sort of game?” Loki asked cautiously.

“A board game.”

Loki thought a moment. It sounded good. He was always an excellent game player back on Asgard, or so Frigga boasted. He discovered early on that it was a great way to work his mind. Then he discovered he had a knack for it.

“And if I lose?”

“You’ll work for me…doing…ah…something,” the Grandmaster waved his hand. “I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll find something for you to do—washing my favorite ship, maybe.”

Loki thought another moment. What could he lose? He was already a prisoner. It’s not like he had a choice. He had a feeling that the Grandmaster would get his way regardless of what he said. And who knows? Maybe there was a slim chance he would win his freedom and finally get away from this planet and find Thor. And if he didn’t win, then washing the Grandmaster’s ship would mean he could have access to the hangar. He didn’t relish washing a ship, but if it meant him getting a closer look at the passcodes, then okay. He’d roll with it.

It was also a good opportunity to learn more about the Grandmaster…to study him up close.

Finally, Loki nodded. “Okay.”

“Wonderful!” The Grandmaster grinned and snapped his fingers. Two servants carried a small table over to set in front of him. It looked similar to an earth automatic mahjong table.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Topaz whispered.

“Relax. No one’s ever beaten me at this game. You know that.” He gave her a knowing wink. He then turned to Loki. “Come closer, closer. Topaz, bring a chair for my guest here. Can’t very well play a game standing up now, can he?”

Hesitating a few seconds and looking Loki over once, Topaz walked off the dais and retrieved a chair, bringing it back to roughly set down directly in front of the Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster motioned at the chair. “Sit.”

Loki walked up the steps slowly, never once taking his eyes off the Grandmaster. “I’ll play on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“That you remove this disk from me.”

The Grandmaster’s smile stayed in place as he stared at Loki.

Loki continued, “I mean, it’s not like I can leave anyway. No ship, guards everywhere, and cannibals outside.”

“You’re right. How thoughtless of me.” The Grandmaster waved his hand and Topaz came up to him, placing a wand in his opened palm.

_Finally_, Loki thought.

But what came next was a quick, burning jolt through his rear.

“OW!” Loki cried out and stumbled over his chair. He grabbed his rear, hissing through his teeth. He shot the Grandmaster a withering glare that was half pained and half hate.

“Please, sit down,” was all the Grandmaster said. He waved his wand toward the chair.

Loki continued to glare hard at the man a few more seconds, then he turned and eased down in the chair, keeping his hands tucked under him. His mouth wanted to spew a few choice words, but he kept himself in check…for now.

He pulled his stare away from the Grandmaster to look down at the game board laid out in front of him. The top was slick and yellow and blue checkered, resembling an earth chessboard.

“Is this chess?” he asked softly.

“Sorta.” A devilish grin creased the Grandmaster’s lips. “My version of it, anyway.” He waved his hand and the board came to life.

At first, Loki thought the game pieces were holograms. But as he looked closer, he saw that they were, in fact, real people—tiny real people that looked miserable.

A startled gasp caught in Loki’s throat as he stared at what lay before him, his brow furrowing.

“Is something wrong?”

Loki gained enough of his bearings to look across at the Grandmaster. He blinked and swallowed. “N—no, I was…”—he pointed at the game board—“I was just admiring your unique game.”

“I’m the only one in the universe who, who has a game like this. It’s made up of people I decided not to execute.” Here the Grandmaster uttered a laugh and threw a sheepish look to Topaz.

Loki wasn’t sure what to think of this admission, or how to react for that matter. He felt a twinge of disgust in the pit of his stomach, along with a jolt of fear. Oh sure, he was a trickster. He had played his share of pranks over his lifetime. But none of them ever involved shrinking living people down to the size of chess pieces and playing a game with them. A small part of him thought of the Grandmaster as brilliant. Why hadn’t he ever thought of doing this? But then again, another part of him thought it was awful, inhumane, and vile. Who in their right mind would do this sort of barbaric thing to actual living creatures? And what was stopping the Grandmaster from turning _him_ into one of his game pieces if he lost or upset him in any way? Suddenly, the situation he was in felt far more dangerous than he originally thought. It was becoming clear that the Grandmaster was a lunatic. And somehow he felt like the outcome of this game could easily go in several different directions if he didn’t tread carefully.

Loki swallowed and moved uneasily in his seat. He glanced at Topaz, who was watching everything intently.

“You can…make the first move,” said Loki, turning his attention back to the Grandmaster. He cleared his throat to take away some of the hoarseness that came out unexpectedly along with his words.

“You sure?”

Loki nodded.

He watched as the Grandmaster reached out and picked up one of the humanoids—a red-skinned alien woman with long black hair—and moved her to the first square. The woman squirmed and kicked in his fingers, looking quite pained, telling Loki that the Grandmaster’s grip on her was more than was necessary.

Loki sat there, studying the board for what felt like an hour. Finally, he picked up one of the people on his side, his hand almost losing its grip when the man between his fingers began to squirm. It was like picking up a mouse or a lizard. At that moment, he wasn’t sure how long he would be able to play this game…

Quickly, Loki eased the man down on the square he chose, hoping he didn’t hurt him too much.

The Grandmaster uttered a faint harrumph, noting Loki’s move, then he smiled. “Wonderful, wonderful.”

The game went on in this manner for several hours with a break for lunch taking place halfway through.

The Grandmaster moved restlessly in his chair toward the end when he saw how close Loki was coming to beating him. He’d never seen anyone come this close…ever. He glanced at the trickster while he waited for him to make his next move.

When the move was made, the Grandmaster leaned forward. He steepled his fingers and placed his lips to them. His eyes studied the board. He lifted an eyebrow, then he stretched out his hand and picked up a piece and carried it over to the square he planned to put it down on.

The Grandmaster jumped, startled by the hand that suddenly clasped around his wrist. He threw a questioning look at Loki.

“You’re about to put it on the wrong square,” the trickster informed.

The Grandmaster quickly glanced at Topaz then back to Loki.

“You…you’re touching me,” the Grandmaster said. He moved his arm, trying to break free of Loki’s hold. “Why are you touching me? I-I didn’t give you permission to touch me.”

Topaz lifted her stick, but the Grandmaster waved for her to fall back.

“Wrong move,” Loki whispered without looking up from the game board. “You’re trying to cheat, aren’t you?”

The Grandmaster smiled nervously. Nothing like this had ever happened before. “Wha-what makes you say that?”

“Because that move is just what I would do.”

The Grandmaster glanced at Topaz again.

“Well, yes, ah…” He put the piece back on the square he’d removed it from.

“You want me to lose. You cheat to trap, don’t you?” Loki continued. “To keep people here.”

The Grandmaster’s eyes widened.

Loki smirked and leaned back in his chair. “I figured it out before we had lunch. I was merely seeing how long I could drag this out before you made a move that would prove my theory correct. I’m guessing this is the first time someone has come close to beating you, isn’t it? Why? Because they haven’t been smart enough or because you’ve cheated?”

The Grandmaster blinked, looking entirely derailed. He lifted his hands to Topaz then put them down in his lap again as if he forgot what he was about to say.

“He…he’s good!” he finally got out. He turned to Loki. “You aren’t human, are you?”

“No. I’m Jotun.”

“Jotun! Wow, okay. I, I thought those were usually blue…and taller and—what’s that other word?—bigger.” He tilted his head. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Loki leaned forward again. “So, are you going to make your move—without cheating this time?”

“Ah! Right!”

The game lasted another hour before Loki finally won, much to the displeasure of the Grandmaster. Although, Loki wasn’t sure if it was displeasure or admiration or a mixture of both.

“You know. Ordinarily, I would be greatly upset over you beating me, because I never lose…at anything. I always win. But I have to say that I’m most impressed with your skills and mind. You’re the first person to ever beat me at this game. It actually feels good to be face to face with another intellectual like myself.”

“Nothing new,” said Loki, although the flattery the Grandmaster lavished on him wasn’t lost. “I’ve always been good at games. I just have the mind for it, I guess.”

“Hm, yes, your mind. I like the way you think. I can tell you’ve got a lot of ideas…a lot of stories in there. I’d love to hear more of your stories sometime. And the fact you had the guts to call me out on cheating was also impressive. That was a bold move. No one has ever done that before, you’re right. I applaud you on that. Applaud.” The Grandmaster clapped slowly, nodding once to Topaz.

“Sooo…do I get my freedom now?” Loki asked cautiously.

A small, weak smile appeared on the Grandmaster’s lips. “Yeah, about that—what if I make you an offer instead? You stay here with me and clean my ship and do other odd jobs. You can keep the quarters I gave you. And you can have all the food and provisions you want, of course. You will be given the best of everything.”

Loki’s jaws worked. “So, you’re going back on your word, then?”

“You’ll be free to go anywhere you want within reason. The obedience disk comes off, of course. No longer a prisoner, but a guest.”

Loki forced an indignant laugh. “That’s not the freedom I was promised if I won. You said I would be free to either stay here or go wherever else I want—my choice.”

The Grandmaster turned to Topaz. “Did, did I really say that? I don’t remember…”

Topaz nodded. “Yes, you really did promise him that.”

The Grandmaster made a pained expression. “Oh, right.” He threw Loki a grin. “It’s settled, then. You will be my ship’s caretaker.”

“Wait a minute!” Loki stood. “That’s not fair!”

The Grandmaster looked Loki straight in the eyes. “As long as I’m the ruler here, my word goes. Technically, you still belong to me.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal. The deal was for us to play the game to give me a chance to win my freedom. We played, and I won…_without cheating_.” Loki put a little more emphasis on the last part.

The Grandmaster calmly lifted his wand and ran his hand down it. He looked up at Loki, his eyebrows raising slightly in silent warning. “As long as you’re wearing an obedience disk, you still belong to me. And if I were you, I would sit down while it’s still comfortable enough to do so. Do I make myself clear?”

Loki’s eyes locked onto the wand, the anger in his face immediately turning to fear. Like a heavy weight, he dropped into his chair. He hated how much control the Grandmaster already had over him.

“One thing you will learn is I always get what I want. I had to have some way to get you to play a game with me. I figured you’d jump at the chance if I threw freedom into the deal.”

Loki stared hatefully at the Grandmaster, not believing what he was hearing. He’d been played, tricked.

The Grandmaster motioned for the guard. “Take him back to his quarters and make sure he gets a proper meal. Tomorrow morning, take him to the hangar. He’s going to spend the day cleaning out the _Commodore_. It’s filthy after my last…uh…party. And keep a close watch on him. We can’t have him making a break for it.”

Even as he was being hauled away, Loki never took his eyes off the Grandmaster and the wand he held. His mind worked hard, trying once again to figure out where he went wrong.


End file.
